Always Faithful
by dshell99
Summary: Kevin and Edd fall in love in high school. But when they graduate and Kevin answers America's call to service, will their love be as strong and faithful as a Marine? Disclaimer: I don't own Ed, Edd and Eddy. I only own my OCs and plot. Rave belongs to KiraKuryArt. Nat belongs to C2ndy2c1d.


**Author's Note: X.x CRAZY YIN YANG x.X came to me with a request too cute to deny. So here it is. Grab your tissues, kids! I'm going in!**

Kevin and Edd became friends in eighth grade after a crazy summer that involved a scam failing so epically that Eddy just gave up scamming ever again, meeting and standing up to the biggest jerk they had ever met and finally realizing that sometimes trying to fit in means giving people space to be themselves.

In that space, Kevin found that being himself was easy when he was with Edd. Edd was always one to give people a chance or five or ten. Except Eddy's brother. He ruined that for himself. Kevin was glad Edd let him in. Despite that crazy summer, it was nice to know the smartest of the Eds wasn't one to hold a grudge.

It was in ninth grade that both boys were noticing something _different_ about themselves. It wasn't that a childhood with such extreme representations of the fairer sex had scared them off girls, it was that they just had no interest in them, outside of toleration and _maybe_ friendship. Nazz was always easy to get along with. Sarah became tolerable as she matured. The Kanker sisters were kept at arm's length.

By Christmas, it was apparent that they enjoyed _more_ than just each other's company. And it set them both on edge. Edd moreso than Kevin, though. At Nazz's Christmas party, they never left the living room. The mistletoe hanging in the archway between the living room and the kitchen was like a bomb to be avoided.

Ed was happy to get Double D anything he asked for out of the kitchen. Nazz did the same for Kevin, but she was worried. Everyone knew that Kevin was something akin to Edd's second best friend. They had hardly spoken a word to each other since Edd walked in the door with Eddy and Ed.

"What gives with you and Double D, Kev?!," Nazz hissed at Kevin when she cornered him in the kitchen.

Kevin put his head in his hands and _groaned_.

"I dunno, Nazz."

"What happened?"

"I dunno...like, last week things were cool until I gave him his Christmas present. He hugged me and it was like he didn't want to let go, but then Eddy came over and things just got _weird_."

Nazz cocked a brow.

"What'd you get 'em?"

"The drinkable compound expansion kit for his chemistry set."

"Hmmm...," Nazz said as her brows furrowed together.

Then a light bulb went off.

"Kevin, that set was like $150, Dude!"

"I know! I thought he'd like it."

"He _does_."

Kevin was surprised and kinda pissed. He didn't know that and _Nazz_ did. How'd _she_ know?!

"How'd you know!?"

"I work with him, remember?"

Kevin sighed. Of course she and Edd would talk. They both worked at the TJMaxx across the street from the mall. Kevin worked at the Best Buy up the street and they'd all always try to meet for lunch at the Arby's across the parking lot that Ed worked at. It was during one of those lunches that Kevin saw Edd ogling the expansion kit on his phone. It cost a pretty penny, but to see the look on Edd's face as worth it.

"You _need_ to talk to him, Kev," she said as she took another tray of cookies to the living room.

Kevin sighed. He knew she was right. But to get him alone when he was already so seemlingly on edge was gonna be difficult. But Kevin soon found that Ed needed a break. A bathroom break. So Double D was forced to come to the kitchen because Eddy was too busy flirting with Nazz to help him.

"Hey."

Edd's head snapped up and his eyes went wide. Kevin was standing at the kitchen sink, hands in his pockets. He looked super casual but Edd could tell by the look in his eyes that he was nervous about something.

"G-Good evening, Kevin."

"Heard you liked your Christmas present."

"Yes, I do. I'm sorry I didn't get to properly thank you for it."

"Uh huh. C'mon, Edd. It's just me. Your boy, Kev. What's going on?"

 _His boy._

Edd swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

"Kevin..."

Kevin suddenly got an idea.

"How about we just get out of here and you can make me a drink and we'll call it even."

"O-Okay. I can be ok with that," Edd nodded.

They snuck out the backdoor and ran to Edd's house after Kevin challenged him to a race as soon as they got out of the back gate. Kevin may have played sports his whole life, Hell, he was the first string JV QB and second string varsity QB, but between Edd's long legged gait and a chlldhood of running away from his angry neighbor's, Edd could hold his own. Edd was at his door and had it open before Kevin made it to the driveway.

"Geeze, Dweeb! Where'd you learn to run like that?!"

"You _do_ remember chasing me when we were kids, don't you?," Edd asked snarkly, with a hand on his hip.

"Didn't think it'd turn you into a track star!," Kevin wheezed as he came in the house.

Edd just giggled.

"Seriously, D, you should try out for track in the spring."

Edd was already on the JV swim team.

"I was thinking of trying out for cross country actually."

"Do it!"

"I'll think about it. Shoes, please."

Kevin and Edd both took off their shoes, donned bunny slippers and went to the basement where Edd's lab was. His parents were doctors and let him convert the space into his own lab knowing that it would help him assuage his general curiosity about the world.

Edd pulled his chemistry kit off the shelf and put it on his workspace table in the middle of the room and went to work. Taking in Kevin's red hair green eyes, he made a strawberry flavored drink that was green, but had a red head foam.

"Choice!," Kevin grinned when he tried the drink.

"Glad you like it," Edd said with a small smile.

 _That smile, tho._

"And you like me, don't you?"

Edd _paled,_ but his cheeks were _bright red_.

"Kevin...I..."

Kevin just shook his head.

"I don't buy $150 chemistry set expansion kits for people I don't like, Edd."

 _He called him, 'Edd.'_

Kevin put the test tube back in its holder and took Edd's face in his hands. Edd was rooted to the spot, shaking like a leaf in March, but his blue eyes had a spark of _longing_ in them. And Kevin was hoping Edd could see the yearning in his green eyes.

Edd saw it, alright. It all together thrilled and frightened him. And when Kevin pressed his lips Edd's, Edd's _moan_ of _relief_ as _Edd_ took the kiss deeper and the fact that he threw his red SnapBack across the room and ran a hand through his hair as the other clung to the back of his shirt like an anchor to hold them both there lest something steal the moment away before they got a chance to really enjoy it let Kevin know Edd liked him. Edd really, _really_ liked _liked_ him.

When they came up for air, Kevin had a question.

"Is that you _properly_ thanking me for your Christmas present?"

"Are we even?"

And Kevin finally admitted to himself that Edd's sass was a turn on. A BIG ONE.

"Never," Kevin grinned as he drew Edd into another searing kiss.

That night a spark grew into a wildfire. By New Years they were damn near insuperable. Living across the street from one another made things easy. It also made things hard.

Kevin could be stubborn and hard headed. Edd hated for Kevin to get into trouble on his account and would reguarly fuss at him to not let other people's opinion of their relationship get under his skin, or to take care of his homework and chores before coming over. Edd's loyalty to his friends and his near Einstein like mind made it hard for Kevin to understand his new boyfriend or get time with him.

By Spring Break, they managed to get into a good rhythm, especially since Eddy started dating Nazz and Ed took up with a new girl in town, Mya Jones. The girl with a complection resembling chocolate milk and a near Angela Davis sized Afro was an absolute sweetheart and Big Ed adored her. She was funny and kind and always had a shoulder to lean on and a listening ear. Her advice wasn't always the greatest, but her heart was in everything she did and that was all that mattered.

There were group dates and a few smaller double dates. They'd go to Kevin and Nat's football games and baseball games, Edd's swim and track meets and Rolf's basketball games. Rave's spring and fall shows gave Kevin the "culture," Edd thought he desperately needed.

Eddy's wrestling meets gave Double D a chance to see how well his therapy sessions for his OCD and myosophobia were going. Not well enough according to Kevin, but he'd had to admit that Edd's quirks meant his life was better organized and his mother was happy he and his room smelled and stayed so clean.

Junior year, right before the Sadie Hawkins dance, Mya, Ang, Edd and Kevin were meeting for lunch at Arby's. Mya and Ang worked at the Hallmark store next to TJMaxx and would help Kevin with all the apology cards he had to give to Edd for being a jackass sometimes. But Kevin had a sweet side and the girls were more than happy to let him help Edd know it.

This particular lunch date reminded Kevin of a promise he had made to himself and his father when he was just six years old. Two Marines and a Sailor walked in the door in their mod dress blues and a traditional sailor suit.

Ang gave a low whistle.

"God bless America. _Hello, sailor!"_

When the three servicemen turned around she grinned _wide_ and gave a wave. Edd rolled his eyes.

 _"Really, Princess?!,"_ he said in a hushed whisperer.

"Yep."

"What would Rolf think!?," Mya asked.

Angie shrugged.

"I'm an Air Force brat. I was born in Japan and spent the first eight years of my life there. Then we did two years in Germany and three more in Hawaii. I know the military way of life. So I know and appreciate the work those _gorgeous_ men do."

Edd and Mya looked at her with a bit of awe. All most anyone knew was that she had moved to Peach Creek from far away because her mom was from Peach City and wanted her daughter to spend some time getting to know her family before going away to college and then off to who knows where for the rest of her life. This kind of information was _huge_.

"I can get that," Kevin sighed.

Edd's eyes went wide with their usual curiosity. Not much was known about Kevin's life before he came to Peach creek, too. He'd always say "Suburbs are weird," and that was it. Edd just assumed he came from Peach City.

No one knew where his dad had worked before he got his job at the candy factory, either, but it didn't matter because Kevin being flush with jawbreakers and he and his friends wanting to get their hands on them was way more important than anything else in Edd's childhood.

"Brat?," Ang asked.

"Yep."

"Which branch?"

"Marine Corps."

Angela gave another low whistle.

"Duty stations?"

"Just 29 Palms and Ft Sam Houston. We moved here because my mom is from here and my dad was almost done with his contract and wanted to get on at the candy factory."

"What's he do there anyways?," Mya asked as she sipped her Sprite.

"Account executive in distribution. Basically, he sales the candy to places like Walmart and Target."

 _"Jesus,"_ Angela breathed.

Edd was stunned. But this was a calculated move on Kevin's part. Telling Edd this part about his life head on would probably lead the conversation down a road that Kevin wasn't so sure they were ready to deal with just yet.

"How do you go from the _Marines_ , to the candy factory?!," Mya asked.

Kevin laughed.

"He got his MBA while he was in because of the GI Bill. His MOS was Distribution Management, though, so he was good to go when he got on there."

Mya nodded and Ang stole a sideways glance to Edd. His face was a careful blank. She made a note to talk to him about this and he made a note to talk to _Kevin_.

Soon work bekoned again and by dusk, their shifts were done. Edd walked to his Ford Focus and Kevin to his Harley.

"Dinner?," Kevin asked.

"I could eat."

Kevin grinned. He was gonna miss Edd's sass soon. _Way too soon_.

"Applebee's?"

"I'd race you there, but I don't feel like picking your guts off Main Street, so I'll see you there in, say, 10 minutes?," Edd replied.

"You're on."

15 minutes later Sarah had them seated at their usual table, Jimmy as their waiter. He brought their drinks and told them that their food would be up in about another 15 minutes. That was good enough for Edd because that gave him time to ask Kevin a few questions.

Edd's parents were doctors and heads of their departments at Peach Creek Memorial Hospital. Edd wanted to go into chemical and mechanical engineering. If Kevin, who _loved and adored_ his father to the point of near hero worship, was anything like the _good son_ everyone knew him to be, Edd was afraid that he would lose the love his life soon. _Very soon._

"Marines, huh?"

"Yeah," Kevin said as he took a sip of his Dr Pepper.

Then green met sad blue.

 _Time to take that walk and have that talk._

"Yeah, I'm going in."

"When?," Edd asked as he willed himself not to cry.

"Probably two weeks after graduation."

Edd sighed and Kevin was by his side in an instant.

Drawing the tearful scholar into a hug, he said, "I probably should have told you sooner, but we still have this summer and next year. Try not to think too much about it."

After letting a few tears fall, Edd whispered, "H-H-How long?"

And Kevin's heart broke because he knew he was going to break Edd's.

"Six years."

And Edd started to sob.

 _Six years_. It might as well have been a lifetime.

Edd called Ang as soon as he got home and threw his heart out on the floor.

"You can get through this, Edd, but only if you _want to_. Yeah, six years is a long time, but you've still gotta go to school yourself and get your own life together. This will give you _plenty_ of time to do so. And like he said, you still have _now_. Deal with the _now_."

 _Now_ meant the Sadie Hawkins dance. And Edd couldn't help but think of every event between now and graduation as the end of an era. Their last _everything_. He had to make the memories and make them _BIG_ because he didn't know if or when or how they could do it all again.

They took road trips on Kevin's motorcycle about twice a month that summer and Edd tried to cherish the time because he knew it was fleeting, but he was starting to feel a little resentful. _How could Kevin just go and sign his life away!?_ _Why would he go and sign his life away?! Didn't he know what he was getting himself into?!_

Lucas Barr was a mountain of a man. 6'4, 250lbs, tanned skin, red hair, bright green eyes. Kevin was his slightly slimmer twin. Their shared love of sports, action flicks, war history and the Marine Corps bonded them. And Lucas was going to drag Edd in if it killed him. Edd would rather have died.

Kevin's mother, MaryAnne and Angela were his saviors in the days leading to Kevin's departure. Maryanne taught him all she could about Marine Corps family life and she and Angela taught him what to expect with Kevin gone.

And Mya became his closest confidant. Edd needed a sounding board that had no desire to answer their country's greatest call on her citizenry. And Mya was good for it.

"You _do_ realize that this is probably better than him flunking out of college, right?," she asked one night as they had a quick snack at Arby's.

Edd shot her a look but knew she was right. Kevin had a C average despite Edd's help. College would probably be a disaster. Then Edd had a bit of an epiphany.

"He's probably only been such a basic student because he's always known he was going to the military," Edd said.

"True, and that's better than _not_ knowing," she said as she tipped her head to her boyfriend behind the counter.

Double D giggled. Ed was still trying to figure out what he wanted to do for the rest of his life and taking his sweet time doing it.

"What are _you_ going to do?" she asked him.

Edd sighed. Kevin had been on him to get his applications in and FASFA done since Homecoming. It was now the week before Thanksgiving.

"I got into Harvard last week. Yale _and_ Columbia gave me early admission _last year_. But I'm thinking MIT."

Mya gave him her trademark _blink, blink, blank stare_ stare down.

"Yeah, I think you'll be fine."

He just gave her a smirk and shrug.

Over Christmas, Kevin gave Edd a tshirt he had made for him that said, "My Boyfriend Wears Combat Boots," on the front with the Marine Corps Eagle, Globe and Anchor symbol in the background. And Edd cried.

When the spring semester started, Edd was on edge. Many thought it was because the senior class valedictorian was nervous about getting through midterms and finals. He was just really counting down the days until Kevin was gone.

Kevin drug him out to all of their fave date spots that semester. They went to all the dances. When Kevin won Prom King and put the crown on Edd's head everyone thought it was adorable. But Edd's heart just broke all the more.

Right before they came to the dance, Lucas had plopped his own old dress blues cover on Kevin's head, who promptly took it off, snatched Edd's beanie off his head and plopped the very much oversized Marine Corps cover on Edd's head. MaryAnne took the adorable picture of them gazing into each other's eyes that made it all official. Kevin was going to be a Marine and Edd was going to be his partner through it. Using Lucas' cover meant that Edd was now apart of the Barr's Marine Corps family.

Edd didn't know what to think in that moment. So he didn't think at all. But Kevin had enough presence of mind for the both of them.

"Look, I know you hate this, but I love you and don't want to lose you. I can't imagine doing this without you. It's gonna be rough, but I think you're stronger than you think," Kevin had told him.

"You think I'm strong?"

"Bruce Banner ain't got shit on you, Babe," Kevin said as he drew Edd into a tight hug and gave him Eskimo kisses.

Edd grinned. If Kevin could believe that he was stronger than one of the strongest superheroes in existence, he could do this.

But with the Prom King crown on his head, things were getting more and more real. _Too real_. All of Kevin's hats would soon be replaced by _one_ that had an Eagle, Globe and Anchor symbol in the center of it.

Graduation day was a big day for them all. Edd gave his speech, they got their diplomas and tossed their motarboards. And two weeks later, Kevin swore his life to his country.

The night before, Kevin's parents threw him a going away BBQ and Edd spent the night. They had never had sex before and Kevin knew what Edd was after when they cuddled up in bed after everyone left and his parents went to sleep.

"Not tonight, Edd," Kevin whispered in his ear.

Edd pulled away and looked at Kevin like he was crazy. Because you _have_ to be _crazy_ to turn down _sex_ , right?!

"You're doing this out of obligation, Babe. Not because you want to. That's why I've never made a big deal out of it. We'll do it when you're _really_ ready. Then you'll do it with a _Marine_."

Edd went _red_ and Kevin laughed. So they kissed and cuddled eventually fell asleep. Dawn came too soon.

He kicked and screamed, but this was it. Kevin was going. Edd needed to get with it or let the redhead go. The latter not being an option, Edd donned his Christmas gift and a simple black sports jacket with a pair of khakis and his red Converse and watched Kevin answer his country's call.

As they waited for the ceremony to start, Edd felt a familar strong grip squeeze his shoulders. Leaning his head back, he saw _all_ of their friends behind him. Even the Kankers came.

"We got you, Double D," Ed grinned.

Edd looked at Kevin.

"I need you and you're gonna need them," the redhead said.

As Kevin swore his life away, Ang and Mya held Edd's hands and slipped a Hoops and Yoyo button in each palm. Kevin was always getting him Hoops and Yoyo gifts, so he knew that even though he was going, Kevin would still make sure that Edd knew that he was on his mind.

13 weeks later, the Peach Creek Gang was in San Diego, CA and Edd was back in Kevin's arms. With Ang and Kevin as their guides, they took in the sights on base and off. After graduation, Kevin came home for 10 days and Edd made love to _his Marine._ And it was _well worth_ the wait. Kevin was right, Edd wasn't ready.

It wasn't that Kevin being gone and him missing him made him ready, but something in Edd's heart finally clicked. He loved Kevin and would stand by him as he took this journey. And that meant sharing in _everything_ the journey entitled. Highs and lows. Good and bad. And everything in between. As long as _love_ was at the very foundation of it all, they would be ok.

And the love they made was the cornerstone to that foundation.

But Kevin's leave passed too quickly and yet, it came at just the right time. As Kevin left for Ft Leonard Wood, Edd left for MIT. And the biggest trip they ever took together began.

Edd threw himself into school. It kept his mind off of Kevin for one, and two, he didn't have much of a choice. When you double major in chemical and mechanical engineering with a minor in secondary education at MIT, you tend to be _super busy_.

Over the next two years as Kevin went through AIT and got assigned his first duty station in _Hawaii_ , when Edd could steal the time away to go visit Kevin or Kevin came out to see him, school would still be in a very loud space in the back of Edd's mind. Kevin tried kissing it away at one point and it was then that Edd knew he had to balance his focus. Kevin may be gone from his day to day, but he deserved Edd's _full attention_ when he was around.

Then the redhead got deployed. For the next year, Edd was _fraught_ with worry. When Kevin came on mid tour leave, Edd came _very close_ to not letting him leave his parents house. But their friends deserved to see him, too. So Edd would venture out, but watched his love like a hawk.

Then Kevin got assigned a duty station in _Japan_. And Edd wanted to scream. His redhead was so far away. He came to Edd's graduation, but was _exhausted_ from work and his half way around the world flight.

After Japan came Germany, but Edd was working on his Masters degree in Education at Columbia and couldn't find it in himself to worry about Kevin being so far away anymore. He had just become numb to it all.

When he graduated, Kevin couldn't come. He called, and the university had a live stream of the graduation so he could watch, but as they say, _they say it's the same but it isn't the same._

Edd went to Germany for the entire month of July and while he enjoyed his trip, Kevin could tell that the genius was _done_. Which made his plan come to fruition at just the right time.

When his Captain and First Sergeant came to him about re-enlisting that spring, Kevin said no. He told Edd six years and it had been six years. His promise fulfilled, he was done. He loved his country and had fought for her, but now it was time to go back to the person who taught him what love really meant in the first place.

 _Edd._

Kevin's contract ended at the end of September, but by the time he got back to Peach Creek, it'd be the weekend of Edd's birthday. _Perfect timing._

In August, Edd became the youngest professor in the engineering department at Peach State University in Peach Creek. And his birthday was mere weeks before midterms. To say he was up to his eyeballs in work was an understatement.

But his friends and family weren't about to let work soak up his life when he should be celebrating it. Kevin, hearing that Edd was busy with work, called his mom and asked that she throw Edd a party. Edd wouldn't turn her down. If she's throwing him a birthday party, that means she's making her blueberry cupcakes. Edd _loved_ her blueberry cupcakes.

He then called Ang and Mya. Edd's two best girlfriends would be the two best people to keep him busy all day. Nazz would decorate and all anyone else really needed to do was show up.

Friday evening, Ang and Mya "kidnapped" Edd.

"No more work!," Mya said as she burst into his office with blueberry ice cream and balloons.

"MYA! I have to get this done!"

"What could possibly be more important than ice cream and balloons?!"

"Just emailing Kevin about my week."

 _"I guess_. It's not like you didn't just text him 5 minutes ago."

Edd went _red._

"YOU DID! Oh, my god, you two are hopeless."

"You're the one that told me that I should email him about my week every week!"

"I did?," Mya asked as she popped open her pint of ice cream. If Edd isn't eating, more for her.

"Yes! You said, and I quote, "You should email him every week and let him know how you're doing and what you're doing so he knows what's going on with you and that you still care that he knows what you're up to."'

"I _guess_ that's something I would say. Can't believe you did it, though," she giggled. Edd hardly ever listened to her.

But he could barely take her seriously half the time. Why would she even think to suggest that he just hop on a plane and show up to Kevin's barracks in Hawaii in _nothing but_ a trench coat was beyond him. Kevin's _still_ sore he never did that.

"It beats not doing anything," Edd sighed as he sent the email.

Mya nodded knowingly. She remembered how stressed he was after Kevin left. Not being in each other's day to day made Edd crazy. Having some kind of communication routine helped the organization freak.

"You're also gonna spoil your dinner," he told her as he eyeballed her ice cream.

When she pulled out another pint and spoon for him, he zipped his lips. An hour later, Ang picked them up, but they had to stop Kevin's parents place first.

"But the party isn't for another two hours, Ang!," Edd protested.

It wasn't that he didn't want to see Kevin's parents. He tried to limit the time he spent there because with Kevin gone, all the memories of him in that house just hurt too much. And he was very much in a _get in, get out_ mood about the house today.

"We'll only be a minute, E!," she said as she tugged him out of the car. "I gotta get the birthday treat coupon she said she had for you!"

Edd sighed and trudged to the house that held half his heart and soul.

When they got inside, the place was dimly lit, but they found their way by rote. When they got to the kitchen, Edd saw through the window that the backyard was decorated with white lights and he could smell the smoker cooking brisket and ribs. _Kevin's favorites._

Edd made a beeline for the back door, Mya and Ang closely behind him and holding baited breaths. He yanked open the door and saw that all his friends and his parents were on the deck, but it was was who was in the middle of the backyard holding a cupcake with a single candle in it that had him wide eyed.

 _Kevin._

He was dressed in his mod dress blues and looked like a _dream_. Edd _ran_ to him, but stopped short as he saw what was in the center of the cupcake frosting.

 _A ring_.

It was a simple one. A plain white gold band set with six blue diamonds. One for each year that Edd stood by his side as he answered his country's call to service.

"I told you nearly eight years ago that I was going to be gone for six years," Kevin said as he went to one knee. "It's been six years and I'm _done_ so I'm back. For good. I was hoping that you and I could spend the rest of forever together. Will you marry me, Edd? _Please?"_

Tear filled, loving blue met yearning green.

Edd started nodding before he realized that under the creeping dusk of night no one could see what he doing. And his voice was so quiet and thick with emotion, Kevin barely heard or understood him, but he _heard_ what he _needed_ to hear.

"Y-Yes. Oh God, yes."

Kevin stood and smiled at him as he gave him the cupcake.

"Make a wish, Babe."

Edd closed his eyes tight and then blew out the candle.

"Care to tell me what you wished for?," Kevin asked him as he put the ring on Edd's finger.

"No need. It's already come true," Edd said as he drew _his Marine_ into a passionate _Welcome Home_ kiss.

Then they ran to the deck to show off Edd's new ring to their friends and family, make plans for their _forever_ and celebrate Edd's _Best Birthday Ever_.


End file.
